Ontex has inaugurated a large solar rooftop at its factory in Valverde de Majano, in the province of Segovia, Spain.

“We can now produce a large part of the electricity we need to manufacture essential hygiene goods,” says Annick De Poorter,vice president for R&D, Quality and Sustainability. “This is another step toward our goal to have carbon neutral operations by 2030. We will reach this goal through onsite renewable energy production, energy savings, purchasing energy from renewable sources and carbon offsets via reforestation projects. Since 2017, all of Ontex’s European factories in nine countries run 100% on electricity from renewable sources, combining on-site production and purchasing of renewable electricity via Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC’s). Seventy percent of Ontex manufacturing plants on five continents run on electricity from renewable sources.”

The new solar installation was developed and financed by Menapy and will produce 3.9 GWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the yearly consumption of about 1000 households. It is one of the top five industrial auto-consumption solar rooftop systems in Spain and the largest in Spain’s Castilla y León region. 

Tom Pollyn, Menapy’s Managing Partner, says, ”This project marks an important milestone for Menapy in the Iberian market. It crystallizes our long-term experience in industrial rooftop solar projects in Belgium and it confirms that our ‘Solar as a Service’ can bring important added value to high-consuming industries in Spain. Ontex has clear and ambitious goals in sustainability and saving on energy costs, and with this project we help them achieve both, without the investment.”

Ontex Segovia plant manager José Ignacio Luengo says, “Our rooftop solar panels cover more than 20% of the Segovia plant’s electricity demand, and they offset 1500 tons of CO2 per year, the equivalent of 23,000 trees, over a 30-year period.”
 

The Segovia project follows Ontex’s successful solar rooftop development with Menapy in Eeklo, Belgium and the company is looking at more opportunities.